Focus : 90 hours of duty a week .... It's "unacceptable" in a nation of work shirkers !! The tattered flag of socialism/communism suited Indians

The tattered flag of socialism/communism not only suited Indians. We took it to the next level - Jugadu...nepotism. 

Therefore from the very word go, 90 hours of duty a week .... is "unacceptable" in a nation of work shirkers !! 

If such a norm is accepted what will trade unions do ? What will happen to Babudom? What will happen to champion carom board players who also can lecture on the right 'Not to Work' ?? !!! 

Synonym is much easier : Indians !!  

If we want to talk about hurdles - we may easily use some well known phrases and cite illustrations and attribute the obscurantist forces.  

But firstly. obscurantist (noun) - is a person who deliberately prevents the facts or full details of something from becoming known.

"political obscurantists"

adjective

deliberately preventing the facts or full details of something from becoming known.

"an obscurantist agenda". These two definitions would make you easily understand the basic argument of this blog. It is simply because most Indians are either victims of the same or have been doing themselves the same. 

Let us take the discussions further. 

There may be a few such forces - but the foremost of all is Indian Bureaucracy. The biggest tragedy of the nation is that this so-called Steel Frame actually encouraged nepotism, casteism and also corruption and pushed lethargy as a national characteristic. 

The top-heavy Babudom is always reluctant to shed their enormous powers. Then comes their brotherly fraternity - the Netas. 

Hence, we have Neta-Babu raj !! 

The politicians in India have over the decades kept the so-called Socialism flag as the opiate of the people. 

Given an opportunity - the Netas (especially of the Congress school) and ensured votes - forget 90 hours - they will not mind promoting 9 (nine) hours a week for special caste and religious groups. And then comes the third and important section -- selfish Indians (from middle class to corporate honchos) -- they are only interested  in their own interests. 

They do not mind 90 hours a week for their neighbours' children but would like their children and husbands (wives and daughters included in the new century) to 'enjoy' salary and other perks religiously. 

The work can go for a toss !! 

Otherwise an objective commentator like Nani Palkhivala would not have written years back: "We are smugly reconciled" ... to get ..."low yield from high ideals".  

On Nov 7th, 1990 in a lecture, Palkhivala had acidly said - "Perceptive observers in foreign countries where Indians work and prosper are baffled by one question - how does India, with its great human potential and natural resources, manage to remain poor". 

He had volunteered to answer the question - "The answer is that we are not poor by nature but poor by policy".  

Now the real debate on the idea about 90 hours a week.  A friend of mine ... let me identify him as Kirti Kartvya and he notes: 

"Come to think of it. journalists work for at least 18 hours per day .. 6 days a week. Infosys Narayan Murthy is also against 5-day week he had to implement. 

His call for 70-hour work per week works out to 14 hours per day which is nothing compared to the media sector. Probably that's the reason the two cash rich companies haven't dabbled in media industry like other millionaires. 

Taking a dig at L&T Subrahmanyan's one-liner - 'how long can you stare at your wife' remark, the Mahindra Group boss Anand Mahindra said at an event: "I want to tell people that I am on X on social media not because I am lonely. My wife is wonderful; I love staring at her. So, I am not here to make friends."  

My argument here is 'wife-staring' is actually linked to eye-o-tonic. It gives a lot of energy especially if the tonic is 'outside home' !! 

These are not real issues. In order to achieve the 'goals' of a developed nation - our national characteristic should change.

* We should not look for Jugadu source/connections when it comes to job hunting !

** Celebrities (for instance incompetent in own fields and competent jokers) like Karan Johar should be named and shamed. Dynastic politics should be discarded. 

Let it be an 'open field' and let's check out whether Lalu Yadav's son can manage a job for him in any of the metros ! 

Should Wayanad voters ought to look back on whether they deserve a lawmaker either in Rahul or his sister. 

What happens to others ? Let us visit Delhi's famous Mutual Admiration Club called IIC and check out who all are there 'encashing' the family name or spouse name?   

Putting long hours of duty is not the panacea to all ails nor it's an answer to all questions on how to turn India into a developed nation. 

The working atmosphere is pretty bad in most industries. This is leading to stress related challenges. 

The mad race for profitability has led to higher rates of resignations. 

People not only quit jobs. An overwhelming sections of people have changed

industries.

From the media sector, people have moved onto advertisements and  PR jobs. And from engineering sector, people are trying to opt for newer avenues.

Things start early in life. Our time and perhaps even now -- there is still a craze about engineering careers irrespective of the fact whether the youngster has liking or potential for it.

In most cases, we have people afraid of failure or afraid of trying.

 

Needless to add here, that trying something new and tough is an essential feature 

of one’s life and a basic rule to survival Mantra.

You cannot learn nor can you achieve anything significant without hard work or without failing.

‘Playing things safe’ is the in-thing in our lives. 

Hence, in January 2021, I was witness to engineers, medicos and M.Pharma qualified lot appearing for lower-court clerical jobs in Tripura.

The 'working class friendly' Maxists have ruled the state for a long till 2018, but hardly a good 'alternative' job-generating industry was created.

On this backdrop came some stark and dark facets of the national unemployment scenario.

  

A survey in December 2020 claimed that nearly 80 per cent of people who came back to their jobs after the first round of Covid19 shutdown and its fallout agreed to work for less pay; and even opted for self-employment.  

ends 

An eminent Modi-basher and who made virtue of 'embarrassing' Modi Govt; Justin Trudeau now set for 'retirement' !!

Canadians believe that the Trudeau government has failed them on a host of issues, including immigration, inflation, employment and housing. 

Playing up pro-Khalistanis did not come to his rescue. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared that he won't be contesting his country's general election this year, and might quit politics. 

Trudeau has become increasingly unpopular at home and Canada's international ties have soured under him. 

Polls show Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative Party having a big lead over Trudeau's party in the election that is likely to be held in October 2025.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, battered on all sides, has declared that he won't be contesting the upcoming general election in Canada, and might quit politics. This is a surprise end of a career for Trudeau, who, a decade back, was celebrated as a young, energetic leader.

“In terms of my own decisions, I will not be running in the upcoming election,” Trudeau was quoted by Global News of Canada as saying on Wednesday.

advertisement

Trudeau also said he hadn't had much time to think about what he would do after leaving politics.

“As to what I might be doing later, I honestly haven’t had much time to think about that at all, I am entirely focused on doing the job that Canadians elected me to do in an extraordinarily pivotal time right now,” Trudeau said at the press conference.

Trudeau also met Canada's premiers and Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. and some of the federal cabinet ministers. This was done to discuss how Canada would respond to Trump's tariff threats.

“There’s always a lot of politics going on around this country, but to know when to step up in the Canadian national interest, and to know that that’s what Canadians want to see, is really to the credit of everyone around this table,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau had recently announced that he would step down as the Prime Minister of Canada after his Liberal Party of Canada chooses a leader. The leader of the Liberal Party would go on to become the Prime Minister till the polls, likely in August, are conducted.

Trudeau would remain a Member of Parliament after stepping down as the PM for a few months till the elections are conducted. After his decision to not contest the election, Trudeau will cease to be an MP in the new Parliament.

“I do want to say that (Saskatchewan Premier) Scott (Moe) and (Ontario Premier) Doug (Ford), and a number of the folks who’ve been around a while have been extraordinarily invaluable in these conversations, in this Team Canada approach,” he said.  

The unceremonious stepping down and end of his political run comes as Trudeau and the Liberal Party under him have become highly unpopular in Canada. The country's ties with the US and India too have soured.

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney might enter the race to replace Trudeau on January 16, according to a report by City News.

On eve of Budget 2025, Modi Sarkar plays one of the most populist cards....Union Cabinet nods 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of central Govt employees and pensioners

Tax payers ritual of 'extra burden' as Babus will smile and pick up heavier pay packets !!

Union Cabinet on Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 approved the 8th Pay Commission to revise the salaries of central government employees and pensioners.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decision after the cabinet meeting.

The decision to set up the 8th Pay Commission was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The date for setting up the commission has not been disclosed.

This development comes just ahead of the Union Budget 2025 and is expected to bring a salary hike for government employees and retirees. 

The 8th Pay Commission is expected to build upon the reforms introduced by the 7th Pay Commission, which was implemented in January 2016 and will conclude its recommendations by the end of 2025. 

A committee has been set up by the Central government to oversee its implementation.

Reports suggest a possible increase in the fitment factor from 2.57 to 2.86, a key parameter in calculating revised salaries. 

If implemented, this change could result in a rise in the basic salaries of government employees. The fitment factor determines how much the basic pay is multiplied to calculate revised salaries and pensions.

The salary structure for government employees has seen significant changes under previous pay commissions. 

The 7th Pay Commission, implemented in 2016, introduced a simplified pay matrix replacing the older pay bands and grade pay system.

It set the minimum monthly pay at Rs 18,000 and the maximum at Rs 2.5 lakh for Cabinet Secretaries, with a fitment factor of 2.57 times the basic pay. It also increased the gratuity ceiling to Rs 20 lakh and rationalised allowances like HRA.

Before this, the 6th Pay Commission in 2006 introduced the pay band and grade pay system, with a minimum monthly pay of Rs 7,000 and a maximum of Rs 80,000 for secretary-level officers. 

Its fitment factor was 1.86 times the basic pay, and the gratuity ceiling was Rs 10 lakh, with allowances rationalised to enhance benefits like housing rent allowance. 

These revisions laid the groundwork for the upcoming 8th Pay Commission.

The expected salary hike will increase the Govt employees' disposable income, potentially boosting consumer spending ahead of Budget 2025.

A pay commission is constituted by the central government once every decade to revise the salary structure of its employees. In addition to revising the salary structure, each pay commission has a term of reference (ToR), which broadly defines its focus. Pay commissions also decide pension payments.

There are over 49 lakh central government employees and nearly 65 lakh pensioners. The 7th Pay Commission was set up in 2016, and its term will end in 2026.

"Police identified a suspect" :::::: Saif Ali Khan stabbed at Bandra home, knife removed to stop leaking spinal fluid :: Out of danger ... "insider hand" says Mumbai cops

Nearly 12 hours after the life-threatening attack on actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra home, Mumbai police have identified a suspect.

The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is going on. 

The suspect allegedly 'entered the premises' of the actor's home from the adjacent building after scaling the wall in between, sources in the crime branch said. 

The police also suspect that one of Mr Khan's house helps knew the attacker and gave him entry into the house. 

This help is now being questioned as Mumbai Police tries to get to the bottom of the shocking attack on the 54-year-old actor in one of the poshest areas of the Maximum City.

 Saif Ali Khan stabbed at Bandra home, knife removed to stop leaking spinal fluid

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was injured after an unidentified attacker stabbed him multiple times inside his Bandra home during a robbery bid. 

The actor is reportedly out of danger after undergoing surgery.  

He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. 

Actor Saif Ali Khan, bleeding heavily from six stab wounds, was rushed to Lilavati hospital in an auto-rickshaw by his elder son Ibrahim after the shock knife attack.  

Twenty-three-year-old Ibrahim, also an actor, helped his injured father into the three-wheeler after he could not find a car ready to leave. 

Determined not to lose time, Ibrahim and Saif got into the auto-rickshaw and rushed to the hospital, about two kilometres from Mr Khan's Bandra home.

A video captured moments after the attack shows Mr Khan's wife and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan standing next to the auto-rickshaw and speaking to the house staff.

The CCTV footage from two hours before the attack did not show anyone entering his housing society, the police said. 

He reportedly received six stab wounds. 

A forensic team of the Mumbai Police reached the spot and collected all the evidences. 

Police said the suspect attacked Saif Ali Khan's Bandra home at around 2.30 am and both of them had a fight during which the actor was stabbed. 

Saif's wife Kareena Kapoor and sons Taimur and Jeh were present in the house at the time of the incident. 

"The incident took place last night when an accused (could have) entered Saif Ali Khan's house. The accused used the fire escape stairs to gain access to the house. It appears to be an attempted burglary. The accused entered the house using stairs, which also served as a fire escape. 

Ten teams are currently working on the case," said the local area's Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam.  

There was renovation work going on in Saif Ali Khan's housing society and the labourers involved in the work have also been questioned by the Mumbai Police, sources said.

Five members of Saif Ali Khan's staff are being questioned for additional details by the Mumbai Police.

Kareena Kapoor Looked Disheveled And Stressed After Saif Ali Khan Got Stabbed Amid Robbery Attempt

Kareena Kapoor was seen pacing around her Bandra residence's porch after Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by robbers during the burglary attempt.

"There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation," a police source said. 

One official at the Leelavati Hospital Niraj Uttamani said: "He is currently undergoing surgery... The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is complete."  

Among India's "most bankable stars", Khan, 54, is the son of former India cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and noted actress Sharmila Tagore.

A female employee at their home was also attacked and was being treated, reports said.  

Actress  and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt also called for a greater police presence in the suburb, home to many in the film industry.

“The city, and especially the queen of the suburbs, have never felt so unsafe before,” she posted on X.

ends 

One executing concessionaire had to quit Z-Morh Tunnel project : But now that it has been inaugurated, it will be a 'game-changer'

Infrastructure push is now no longer a slogan. A series of tunnels are being constructed on the Manali–Leh Highway. The Atal Tunnel, located under the Rohtang Pass ahead of Manali, is already operational. Another tunnel is under construction at Baralacha La on the Himachal–Ladakh border.

The work is on under Tangang La and Lachung La in Ladakh. These three to four all-weather passes, situated at sufficiently high altitudes, fortify the security axis.

All of these tunnels are part of the India-China Border Roads Initiative.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir marked a milestone as he inaugurated the Z-Morh Tunnel near Sonamarg.

This will open a new chapter in connectivity, security and economic growth.

Ladakh’s rugged terrain and harsh winters often left it cut off from the rest of the country for nearly six months in a year. Heavy snow fall shut the Srinagar-Leh highway.

This would impact basic public services -  health care and education. The Z-Morh Tunnel now will end this isolation.

This 6.5-kilometre-long tunnel, a key component of a strategic Srinagar-Leh National Highway, links Gagangir and Sonamarg continuously year-round. 

Since the tunnel is 2 637 m high, the travel and so the time is remarkably reduced.

The Leh–Manali Highway is a 428 km (266 mi) long highway in northernmost India connecting Leh, the capital of the Union Territory of Ladakh, to Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It crosses four passes: Rohtang La, Baralacha La, Lungalacha Ka, Tanglang La. 

It connects the Kullu Valley of the upper Beas river to the Chandra and Bhaga river valleys of Lahaul via the Atal tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, then crosses over a series of high Himalayan passes into the Indus river valley in Ladakh. 

It is usually open for about six months a year from the first week of May when the snow is cleared from the highway to October.

"Apart from the excellence of its engineering, the Z-Morh Tunnel is a source of life for the people, a source of boost to the local economy, and a strategic asset for the national security of India," says an article in 'Brighter Kashmir'.  

"Three major visits by India’s Prime Minister to Jammu and Kashmir between February 2024 and January 2025 have marked monumental progress in infrastructure development. Roads, railways, power projects, bridges, ropeways, medical institutes, and lower and higher education facilities have all materialised. 

This demonstrates the current government’s intent and determination to address decades of neglect by previous administrations," writes longtime J&K watcher Farooq Wani for 'News18'. 

From its commencement in October 2012 to its completion in January 2025, this project has experienced its share of ups and downs, which were overcome through the phenomenal grit and determination displayed by everyone involved. Difficult terrain and adverse climatic conditions weren’t the only challenges—given the massive capital outlay of the project, its financial management was also an exacting issue. 

According to Wani yet again, "Few are aware that the initial executing concessionaire, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS), had to quit the project midway due to financial stress after taking it on in 2015. 

It then took the government almost two years to find a new concessionaire. The project was supervised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)."

It must be noted that previously, due to the closure of roads for much of the year, troops deployed in these regions were heavily reliant on air-based maintenance. 

Thus with the development of all-weather roads and forward landing strips, the operational and administrative constraints caused by adverse weather conditions have been significantly mitigated.

Round-the-year troop deployment and access reduce reaction times, enabling faster and more cost-effective mobilisation and force accretion to address rapidly evolving threats. However, beyond enhancing India’s defence capability, infrastructure development in these regions also meets the needs and aspirations of the local population.

For Ladakh, the Z-Morh Tunnel now means hope and access to it guarantees a continuous supply of, for example food, fuel, and medication, which often were  unavailable in winter season. 

Education and career opportunities are now more readily accessible to students and professionals for them to move about and travel to pursue their aims, thereby promoting a feeling of inclusion and national integration.

Border infrastructure along the Sino-Indian border, which has several border areas disputed by both India and China, encompasses irrigation, roads, railways, airports, natural gas and oil pipelines, electricity grids, telecommunications, and broadcasting. 

In the context of the border tensions between India and China, many of these infrastructure projects in the borderlands are considered strategic in nature. 

For many decades, the approach taken to the construction of border infrastructure by China and India was significantly different,

However, in terms of utilizing the natural resources of the borderlands for the needs of the country, both countries are said to have a similar approach.

ends 

Uddhav and Sharad pawar played an old game 'confuse voters' :::: Amit Shah rejects any contention about home coming ... says BJP "made traitors like Uddhav sit at home"

Home Minister Amit Shah accused Uddhav Thackeray of betrayal

He said that the BJP had "made traitors like him sit at home", a reference to the political fallout between Shiv Sena and the Lotus outfit. 

He criticised Thackeray for aligning with the Opposition and alleged that his politics of "dynasty and betrayal" had been decisively rejected by the people of Maharashtra in the 2024 Assembly elections.

Shah's fiery remarks came as he celebrated the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition's landslide victory in the state elections, where the alliance secured 230 of the 288 seats. 

Lately a tricky game was being played by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar trying to indicate that they both were keen for having some business with the BJP-led NDA. The real intent could be to confuse the voters and masses in Maharashtra which gave a landslide victory to the BJP and both of its allies Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (led by Ajit Pawar).  

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was reduced to just 46 seats. Shah asserted that the election results had "shown Uddhav Thackeray his place" and ensured that "the real Shiv Sena" under Eknath Shinde was victorious.

Extending his criticism, Amit Shah also targeted NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, accusing him of introducing the politics of "betrayal and treachery" in Maharashtra as far back as 1978.

Amit Shah declared that the people had buried Pawar's legacy "twenty feet down" in the 2024 elections, with the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar now emerging as a key ally of the BJP.

He claimed that divisions within the Opposition, including the Shiv Sena (UBT) contesting local body polls solo and tensions among INDIA bloc partners in Delhi, West Bengal, and Bihar, would lead to further setbacks for the opposition. Shah urged party workers to prepare for a resounding BJP victory in Delhi, promising a strong start to 2025.

Asserting the BJP's dominance, Shah praised the party's achievements, including a record-breaking membership drive in Maharashtra, and called for an unrelenting effort to secure victories from local to national levels. 

The former Union minister and well known 'Maratha strongman' Sharad Pawar noted that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has committed cadres who show unwavering loyalty to the Hindutva organisation's ideology and do not deviate from their path. 

Lately, several so-called Sickular leaders have been trying to give mixed signals about their attempts redesign the relationships with the Sanghparivar and the BJP. 

'Changing game of a giant of an opportunist'   

The stakes are high for the much-awaited Mumbai civic polls, as they present an opportunity for various political players in Maharashtra to consolidate themselves and a second chance for those almost decimated in the recent assembly polls.  

In the 288-member Maharashtra assembly Seats won, BJP won 132, Sena (Shinde) - 57 and NCP (Ajit Pawar) 41.

In the process, Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav) were marginalised to the core. 

Uddhav's party won 20, the Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar's party would manage just 10 seats. 

In Mumbai politics the BJP missed a chance to install its Mayor in the BMC by just two seats. 

The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena contested the 2017 BMC polls separately. 

Out of 227 seats, Shiv Sena won 84, whereas BJP was just two seats behind with 82. 

The BJP could have easily installed its Mayor by securing the support of seven MNS candidates and a few independents. 

However, both parties were still in alliance in the state and central governments. According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, at Uddhav Thackeray's request, he forfeited the Mayor's seat, considering the prospects of both parties coming together again in the 2019 Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha polls.

Devendra Fadnavis 

ends 

 

PM Modi commissions INS Surat, Nilgiri and Vaghsheer ::::: Pakistan rattled as Indian Army chief Gen Dwivedi calls spade a spade .... says "80 pc of militants in Kashmir are from Pakistan"

Pak Military rattled by Indian army chief calling Pakistan ‘epicentre of terrorism’

PM Narendra Modi commissions INS Surat, Nilgiri and Vaghsheer 

The Prime Minister commissioned three state-of-the-art combat platforms — INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer — into the Indian Navy in Mumbai on Wednesday. Here's a sneak peak into the three frontline naval combatants.  

“Three Titans; One Remarkable Day in India. A proud moment in India’s journey of maritime excellence and self-reliance!” the Indian Navy wrote on X while sharing an introductory video of the three naval combatants.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, "In the coming years, India will need hundreds of new ships and new containers." He said, “Today, India is increasing its capabilities in both space and deep sea. 

Our Samudrayaan project is going to take scientists to a depth of 6000 meters in the sea where only a few countries have been able to reach.”  

Army chief Gen Upendra Dwived termed Pakistan as the epicentre of terrorism and said that 80 per cent of terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir are Pakistanis.  

Gen Dwivedi said that the 2021 “ceasefire” with the Pakistani military is “holding up” despite the recent upsurge in terror attacks and continued attempts at infiltration.  

“Last year, 60 per cent of the terrorists eliminated were of Pakistan origin. As of today, whatever is a remnant in the (Kashmir) Valley and Jammu area, we feel that around 80 per cent or more are of Pakistan origin,” he said. 

The Pakistani military said: “Insinuating Pakistan as the epicentre of terrorism by the Indian Army chief is not only contrary to facts but also an exercise in futility to beat the dead horse of India’s default position — blaming Pakistan for indigenous reaction to state-sponsored brutality. 

It is a classic case of extreme duplicity."

General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the Army chief on June 30, 2024. 

His command appointments include leading the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment, the 26 Sector Assam Rifles brigade, and serving as inspector general of Assam Rifles and in the Army’s 9 Corps. 

Blogger 

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) also issued a statement on Jan 15th, 2025 saying that Pakistan “strongly rejected” the remarks  by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chief of army Gen Dwivedi. 

Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that India must “dismantle Pakistan’s terror infrastructure” in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.  

“J&K is incomplete without PoK, which remains the crown jewel of India. For Pakistan, PoK is nothing more than foreign territory,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

Modi and Rajnath  

ends